Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Greg Abbott
Discover the career path of Greg Abbott, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Greg Abbott is the current governor of Texas, serving since 2015. A Republican, he previously served as the state's Attorney General from 2002 to 2015 and as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001. He is the longest-serving incumbent governor in the United States.
1984: Joined Butler and Binion, LLP
In 1984, Abbott began working in private practice for Butler and Binion, LLP.
1984: Earned Juris Doctor Degree
In 1984, Abbott earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Vanderbilt University Law School.
1992: Left Butler and Binion, LLP
In 1992, Abbott ended his tenure at the private practice firm Butler and Binion, LLP.
1995: Appointed Justice of the Texas Supreme Court
In 1995, Abbott was appointed as a justice of the Texas Supreme Court by then-governor George W. Bush.
1996: Elected to Texas Supreme Court
In 1996, Abbott was elected to the Texas Supreme Court for a two-year term, defeating Libertarian John B. Hawley.
1998: Elected to Texas Supreme Court for a Six-Year Term
In 1998, Abbott was elected to the Texas Supreme Court for a six-year term, defeating Democrat David Van Os.
1998: David Van Os Opposed Abbott
In 1998, David Van Os was Abbott's Democratic opponent in the election for state Supreme Court.
2001: Resigned from Supreme Court to Run for Lieutenant Governor
In 2001, Abbott resigned from the Texas Supreme Court to run for lieutenant governor of Texas before switching to run for Attorney General.
2001: Returned to Private Practice
In 2001, after resigning from the Supreme Court, Abbott returned to private practice and worked for Bracewell & Giuliani LLC and became an adjunct professor at University of Texas School of Law.
December 2, 2002: Sworn in as Texas Attorney General
On December 2, 2002, Abbott was sworn in as the Attorney General of Texas, following John Cornyn's election to the U.S. Senate.
2002: Elected Attorney General of Texas
In 2002, Abbott was elected as Attorney General of Texas with 57% of the vote, becoming the third Republican to hold the position since the Reconstruction era.
2003: Supported Medical Malpractice Damage Cap
In 2003, Abbott supported the Texas Legislature's move to cap non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases at $250,000.
March 2005: Delivered Oral Argument in Van Orden v. Perry
In March 2005, Abbott delivered oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court defending a Ten Commandments monument on grounds of the Texas State Capitol.
2005: Advocated for Ten Commandments Display
In 2005, as Attorney General, Abbott successfully advocated for the Texas State Capitol to display the Ten Commandments in the U.S. Supreme Court case Van Orden v. Perry.
November 7, 2006: Re-elected as Attorney General
On November 7, 2006, Abbott was re-elected to a second term as Attorney General, defeating civil rights attorney David Van Os.
2006: Reelected as Attorney General
In 2006, Abbott was reelected as Attorney General with 60% of the vote.
2010: Elected to a Third Term as Attorney General
In 2010, Abbott was elected to a third term as Texas Attorney General, defeating Barbara Ann Radnofsky.
2010: Third Term as Attorney General
In 2010, Abbott was reelected for a third term as Attorney General, securing 64% of the vote.
2011: Raised Funds for Campaign
In 2011, Abbott raised more money for his campaign than any other previous Texas politician.
July 2013: Announced Candidacy for Governor
In July 2013, Abbott announced his candidacy for governor of Texas in the 2014 election, shortly after Governor Rick Perry announced he would not seek a fourth term.
2013: Sued Barack Obama
In 2013, Abbott stated that his job as Attorney General involved suing Barack Obama, leading to numerous lawsuits against the Obama administration on issues such as environmental regulations and the Affordable Care Act.
2013: Criticized New York's Gun Laws and Advertised in New York
In 2013, as attorney general, Abbott criticized New York's gun control legislation and placed internet ads in New York encouraging gun owners to move to Texas.
March 4, 2014: Won Republican Primary for Governor
On March 4, 2014, Abbott won the Republican primary for governor with 91.5% of the vote and faced Wendy Davis in the general election.
March 2014: Filed Motion in Christopher Duntsch Case
In March 2014, Abbott filed a motion to intervene on behalf of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in lawsuits against the hospital related to neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, citing the Texas legislature's cap on malpractice cases.
2014: Elected Governor of Texas
In 2014, Abbott was elected Governor of Texas, becoming the first Texas governor to use a wheelchair.
January 20, 2015: Swearing-in as Governor of Texas
On January 20, 2015, Greg Abbott was sworn in as the governor of Texas, succeeding Rick Perry. This made him the first governor of Texas to use a wheelchair.
March 15, 2015: Meeting with Irish Taoiseach
On March 15, 2015, Governor Abbott held his first meeting as governor with a foreign prime minister, the Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, to discuss trade and economic relations.
June 2015: Signing of Bill Bolstering Border Security
In June 2015, Abbott signed a bill to enhance Texas's border security operations through increased police presence, technology, and intelligence operations.
2015: Became Governor of Texas
In 2015, Abbott became the 48th Governor of Texas, serving in the role since then.
2015: Signing of Campus Carry and Open Carry Bills
In 2015, Abbott signed the campus carry (SB 11) and the open carry (HB 910) bills into law.
January 8, 2016: Call for National Constitutional Convention
On January 8, 2016, Abbott called for a national constitutional convention to address perceived abuses by justices of the United States Supreme Court.
May 17, 2016: Elaboration on Constitutional Convention Proposal
On May 17, 2016, Abbott elaborated on his proposal for a constitutional convention in a public seminar at the Hoover Institute.
December 2016: Campaign Funds On Hand
As of December 2016, Abbott had $34.4 million on hand for his campaign.
2016: Advocacy for Convention of States and the Texas Plan
In 2016, Governor Abbott spoke to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, advocating for a Convention of States to amend the U.S. Constitution and proposing the Texas Plan, which outlined nine new amendments to limit the federal government's power.
2016: Abbott Supports Scott Pruitt as EPA Head
In 2016, Greg Abbott supported Scott Pruitt's appointment as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), highlighting their past collaborations on lawsuits against the EPA.
2016: Publication of "Broken But Unbowed"
In 2016, Greg Abbott's book, "Broken But Unbowed", was published. The book recounted his personal story and views on politics.
2016: Open Carry Bill Took Effect
In 2016, the open carry bill went into effect in Texas, allowing licensed open carry of handguns in public areas and private businesses.
January 2017: Fundraising for Reelection
In January 2017, Abbott was reportedly raising funds for a 2018 reelection bid as governor.
January 21, 2017: Intention to Run for Reelection
During the weekend of January 21, 2017, Abbott said he intended to run for reelection.
March 28, 2017: Confirmed Reelection Bid
On March 28, 2017, Abbott confirmed his intention to run for reelection as governor.
May 2017: Signing of Texas Senate Bill 4
In May 2017, Abbott signed into law Texas Senate Bill 4, which targeted sanctuary cities by charging officials who refused to work with federal officials and allowing police to check immigration status.
June 6, 2017: Call for Special Legislative Session
On June 6, 2017, Governor Abbott called for a special legislative session to pass several of his legislative priorities.
July 14, 2017: Formal Announcement of Reelection Campaign
On July 14, 2017, Abbott formally announced his reelection campaign for governor, ahead of a special legislative session.
2017: Signing of Bill Lowering Handgun Carry License Fees
In 2017, Abbott signed into law a bill lowering handgun carry license fees.
June 2019: Signing of Bill Allowing More Armed Teachers
In June 2019, Abbott signed a bill allowing for more armed teachers in schools and the creation of "threat assessment teams".
November 2019: Abbott Directs State to Open Homeless Encampment
In November 2019, Greg Abbott directed the State of Texas to open a temporary homeless encampment on a former vehicle storage yard owned by the Texas Department of Transportation, which camp residents dubbed "Abbottville".
February 2021: Response to the Texas power crisis.
In February 2021, following a major winter storm and a power crisis in Texas, Abbott called for reforms to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and signed a bill requiring power plant weatherization.
May 18, 2021: Signing of Texas Heartbeat Act
On May 18, 2021, Governor Abbott signed the Texas Heartbeat Act, a six-week abortion ban, into law.
June 2021: Bill Signed for Power Company Preparedness
In June 2021, Abbott signed a bill requiring power companies to be more prepared for extreme weather events.
June 2021: Signing of Permitless Carry Bill
In June 2021, Abbott signed into law a permitless carry bill allowing Texans to carry handguns without a license or training.
July 29, 2021: Executive Order GA-38 Issued
On July 29, 2021, Governor Abbott issued Executive Order GA-38, prohibiting local governmental officials, state agencies, public universities, and businesses from requiring face masks or proof of vaccination, with a $1,000 fine for inconsistent policies.
August 2021: Opposition to Government Mandates
In August 2021, Abbott emphasized personal responsibility over government restrictions, resolutely opposing government mandates. His spokesperson justified the ban on local government mandates by stating "Private businesses don't need government running their business."
September 2021: Signing of Bill Preventing Mail-Ordering Abortion Medication
In September 2021, Abbott signed into law a bill preventing women from mail-ordering abortion medication seven weeks into pregnancy.
September 2021: Abbott Signs Legislation Allocating Funds for Border Security
In September 2021, Greg Abbott signed legislation allocating nearly $2 billion towards Texas's border security operations, including $750 million for border wall construction, supplementing $1 billion already appropriated for border security in the two-year state budget.
September 2021: Implementation of Permitless Carry Law
In September 2021, the permitless carry law, signed by Abbott in June, went into effect, allowing Texans to carry handguns without a license or training.
October 2021: Executive Order Banning Vaccine Requirements
In October 2021, Abbott issued an executive order that banned any entity, including private businesses, from implementing a vaccine requirement for its employees.
October 2021: Abbott Appoints John Scott as Texas Secretary of State
In October 2021, Greg Abbott appointed John Scott as Texas Secretary of State, placing him in a position to oversee Texas elections. Scott aided Trump in his failed efforts to throw out election results in the 2020 presidential election.
December 2021: Abbott Announces Texas Will Continue Border Wall Construction
In December 2021, Greg Abbott announced that Texas would continue the U.S. Border Wall started by Donald Trump, utilizing the same design.
2021: Signing of Permitless Carry Bill
In 2021, Abbott signed into law a bill that allowed Texans to carry guns without a license.
2021: Legislative Efforts to Penalize Cities Reducing Police Spending
In 2021, Abbott spearheaded legislative efforts to financially penalize cities in Texas that reduced spending on police.
2021: Veto of Bipartisan Criminal Justice and Animal Protection Bills
In 2021, Abbott vetoed a bipartisan criminal justice bill concerning parole eligibility and a animal protection bill.
2021: Endorsement from Donald Trump for Reelection
In 2021, Donald Trump endorsed Abbott for reelection as governor of Texas. This endorsement signified Trump's support over other Republican primary rivals.
2022: Emphasis on "Culture War" Issues
By his 2022 reelection campaign, Governor Abbott more prominently emphasized "culture war" issues, and was compared to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
January 2023: Possibility of Fourth Term
In January 2023, advisors close to Abbott suggested he had not ruled out running for a fourth term in 2026.
December 2023: Abbott Signs Border Security Bills into Law
In December 2023, Greg Abbott signed three border-security-related bills into law, including one that makes illegal immigration a state crime.
2023: Senate Bill 17 Signed into Law
In the summer of 2023, Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 17, which prohibits Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices at Texas's public colleges and universities.
March 1, 2024: Announced Candidacy for Reelection to Fourth Term
On March 1, 2024, Abbott announced his candidacy for reelection to a fourth term as governor.
2026: Potential Fourth Term Candidacy
In 2026, Abbott might run for a fourth term.
